Issues
by H. S. Hines
Summary: Back in the alpha quadrant and life is very different. Story deals with femslash. Don't like it, don't read. Didn't read? don't review. Thanks! Otherwise, read and review, please! Complete.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!  
Description: Back in the alpha quadrant and life is very different.

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 1_**

_

* * *

_

Harry laughed. Tom was balancing a spoon on the end of his nose and making it wiggle like a pendulum. B'Elanna laughed, too, after trying to fight it. Tom looked at B'Elanna, laughing and felt a pang in his chest. He covered it with a smile, refusing to ruin the new friendship they had developed by giving any sign that he still loved her.

Or that he still hated her.

The breakup had been difficult and hard for him to accept. Five months had gone by before he was able to speak to her again. At first, he cursed at her, told her that he hated her and hid from her as often as he could. At night he fought tears and destroyed anything that reminded him of her.

Then he started calming down. Now, thirteen months after the breakup, he was able to look at her without his heart aching as if someone had ripped a hole in it. Only a pang now and then, to remind him that he had been so in love with her that he was willing to die for her.

B'Elanna didn't notice any of this as it passed through the mind of the man now building a snowman out of his mashed potatoes. She looked across the room and noticed Seven of Nine, sitting alone in a corner, as usual. She felt her hearts beating faster, as they had for almost two months whenever she caught sight of the blonde.

She watched, oblivious to the room as the woman she had developed an infatuation for set down her padd and rubbed her eyes. Then she tugged at the collar of her uniform. Her Starfleet uniform.

When Voyager had returned to the Alpha Quadrant, at the expense of their captain, they had been shocked to find that Starfleet was willing to maintain the ship and instate, as crew, any member who wished to continue serving aboard her.

They had all been granted full commissions, including Seven, who was given the rank of Lieutenant.

Only a few members of the crew had chosen to leave Voyager for reassignment, retirement and in the case of Icheb, Starfleet Academy. Samantha Wildman had taken Naomi to Ktaria for two months, then returned, at Naomi's insistence. A Captain Dana Marcus had been assigned to Voyager.

B'Elanna still didn't know what to think of that woman. She had curly, brown hair, so different from the usual Vulcan straight, black hair; her eyes always seemed to be laughing and something about her screamed that she wasn't as disciplined as she pretended to be.

There were rumors that her grandmother was half Romulan, but B'Elanna didn't see any sign of the thick brow ridges that modern Romulans had under her thin, upsweeping brows. Her father, David, had been in Starfleet, as had his mother, Saavik, but that was all B'Elanna knew about their new captain and only because that was what she had revealed.

There were, of course, more additions than that to the Voyager family, but none quite as important. At first, the new crew had been almost hostile, what with post-war prejudices still in place. Seven, especially, had seemed to suffer, since she still retained so much of her Borg heritage.

So off the implants went, with the help of a Doctor Beverly Crusher, who was the Alpha Quadrant's leading medical expert on Borg systems. Apparently, her expertise had grown since it was incorporated into the doctor's program eight years before and working together, the hologram and the doctor were able to make Seven almost human.

Almost.

Her left arm still maintained its exoskeleton, as it was more advanced, especially with its organic parts, than any artificial limb with limited movement and strength that the Federation could construct. Other than that, her ocular implant was the only one to remain, as far as B'Elanna knew, because Seven had rejected the artificial Starfleet optical implant in favor of her half-organic, more realistic orb, designed by the doctor.

The Doctor.

That was his name. Doctor. He decided that no other fit as well as that one word, describing him better than any other moniker. He had been recognized as a Sentient Artificial Intelligence and assigned to Voyager as her Chief Medical Officer with a rank of Commander, due to his command subroutines. Commander Doctor. B'Elanna still got a chuckle when she thought of it. More computer memory had been uploaded to Voyager to maintain his ever-growing systems.

Neelix's role as a chef and morale officer had ended upon return to the Alpha Quadrant. However, when Voyager was being repaired, she was also refitted. A new 'Ten Forward' lounge had been added on, as it was now standard on all UFP Starfleet ships, for the purpose of morale and social interaction. Neelix had immediately snatched the position of 'bartender.'

B'Elanna rested her chin on her arms for a moment and resumed staring at Seven across the lounge. She still looked a little odd without her biosuit, severe hairstyle or starburst implant, but she was still Seven of Nine. Her new service documents designated her Annika Hansen, and indeed, the new captain called her Lieutenant Hansen, but all the people she knew on Voyager called her Seven.

That was her name.

Perhaps she felt B'Elanna's stare, as she lifted her head to search it out in the crowd. B'Elanna had looked away by the time those blue eyes scanned her table. Harry smiled and waved at Seven, subtly and she nodded, acknowledging him.

Seven still didn't smile.

When Captain Janeway had died, Seven had withdrawn from the crew, even further than before. B'Elanna tried to draw her out, to make her smile, frown, even raise her adorned eyebrow, but she couldn't get a rise out of her by yelling, cursing, teasing, or joking, as she had tried all approaches.

Seven refused to visit the new counselor.

He was a young psychologist, fresh out of the Academy, eager and thoughtful. His Andorian heritage was plain from the blue skin and long, thin antennae on his head, but the red hair proclaimed his mixed ancestry better than anything else about him did. His voice was lightly accented; his name was Jellev Finn, his last name revealing that his father had been Human.

A perfect addition to the misfit crew of Voyager.

He had pursued Seven for a session since he had come aboard Voyager, but she refused, limiting her company primarily to the doctor.

Tuvok had retired. At the age of 114, he had finally decided to return to his wife, T'Pel and his children on Vulcan, completely resigning from Starfleet with honors and high recognition.

He never failed to write Seven. She maintained a correspondence with him that she shared with no one else on Voyager. She had considered transferring to the Serenity, an almost completely Vulcan ship, but decided that Voyager was her home and though it held many painful memories and she didn't socialize, for the most part, it held her friends and family. All that she valued.

Not that she discussed any of this with anyone but Tuvok and, on occasion, the Doctor. Seven didn't really feel as close to any other member of Voyager. Though she and Lieutenants Kim, Paris and Torres were friendly to each other, they never invited her along to their activities and she had never once heard any of them call her 'friend.'

Tuvok had called her friend. The Doctor had and Neelix, as well. The Talaxian was too emotional for her counsel, however, so she rarely discussed her fears with him. Her desires, on occasion, but never anything truly important to her. Janeway had been the only other member of Voyager with whom she discussed her problems, but now she was dead.

It made Seven very lonely. She wished that just once, the lieutenants at the table not far from her own would ask her to join them. Perhaps they never thought about it. Perhaps they didn't want her there. She didn't know and she wasn't about to expose her feelings by asking.

* * *

The Alpha Quadrant seemed quiet, compared to the unknowns of the Delta. That is not to say that they were left without excitement, but on Voyager one had routinely heard "I've never seen this..." or "I never imagined..." for years. Now, everything was already discovered, everything was regulated and classified. 

Exploration seemed a thing of the past.

Tom was complaining that his skills were going to waste in the routine missions that Voyager was being assigned to. Everyone was restless and edgy. Jellev had reported this to Starfleet Command, but they didn't offer him anything that any third-year psych student couldn't. It was frustrating and it made his job very difficult.

He listened to Tom continue complaining for about five minutes, then he couldn't take it anymore. It was the same thing, crewmember to crewmember. >From crewman to Commander, everyone needed to escape the monotony.

He wasn't any exception.

Tom sat up, wondering why Finn had left him in the middle of a sentence. A little offended, he stood and left the counseling room.

* * *

"Captain, you have to do something. Even Mr. Neelix is complaining! The old members of the crew are used to the Delta Quadrant and exploring the unknown, the new members are all itching for adventure. Voyager is not a ship for routine, scheduled missions. She is meant for unexplored regions of space. An eight year veteran of the unknown; even the ship seems bored!" 

"Please calm your passions, Counselor. I am aware that the crew is unsettled. I have already made my request to Command for reassignment. I await their reply." Marcus answered calmly, never turning from the window she studied.

"But in the meantime, how am I supposed to help them when all they hear from their friends is the same story they themselves have to tell? I can't offer advice and counsel—"

"That, sir, is your job and I'll thank you to do it," Marcus said, turning on the young man. When she saw his antennae droop, she immediately regretted her harsh tone. The emotions boiling under the surface of her mask were so hard for her to control at times. It was more than Vulcan discipline that held them in check—it was her command.

The crew knew that she wasn't full Vulcan, some even knew that it wasn't just human in the mix. None of them had bothered to look up her grandmother, or they would discover that she was born on a little known planet called Thieurrull (Hellguard), where Vulcan women were held captive and bred with Romulans. Where children were abandoned to the life of animals.

Her father's mother had not denied him his emotions, had encouraged him to maintain them under the veil of discipline. He loved his mother for that. And he hated her. He was a bastard without a father, raised on Vulcan with the dream of going to Starfleet. His dream had ended when, as a mere Ensign, he had fallen in love with another half-Vulcan. She had died in childbirth and he had died not long after, when Dana was three.

Dana was raised by her grandmother on stories of Starfleet, James Kirk (whom she had the pleasure of serving under) and a David Marcus who was not her father and who hated Starfleet, though he had loved a cadet who never quite finished the academy.

Dana had succeeded where her father and his mother failed. She was a Captain. The burdens on her shoulders were great and the shoes that she had to fill were even greater. This crew still looked at her with curiosity, mixed with a little resentment. They wanted their real captain, like a child wants their mother, not the person their other parent has married. The ghost of Captain Kathryn Janeway followed her around the ship, disapproving of this and unimpressed with that.

"I did not mean to be short," Marcus apologized, hearing Janeway's ghost tell her that she would never have yelled at an undeserving officer and she brushed it away. She needed to believe in herself, or no one else would. She wasn't Kathryn Janeway. She was Dana Marcus, her own person and her own breed of Captain. It was ridiculous to second-guess herself as she did.

"It's understandable, Captain. You're right; this is my job. It's just so new and overwhelming. Almost two hundred men and women… all with the same problem. A problem that I can't help them with, because... I have it, too," Jellev confessed quietly.

"As do I, Counselor." Dana sat at Janeway's—her desk. '_Everything in this room is mine now, not hers. Voyager is mine._' Dana repeated the words like a mantra in her head. "This ship is meant for the unknown. It's what she was built for. Small, strong and fast, she was built to explore. And that's what we'll do. But keep in your mind, as well as those of your patients, that even the Enterprise performs uninteresting tasks."

"But between those tasks, she is adventuresome. We are not." Dana couldn't argue with Finn's logic.

"I know." Marcus folded her hands together, index fingers extended, pressed together against her lips, her thumbs brushing her chin. It was in this way that she most often thought, a very Vulcan gesture. "But I have done all that I can. Please stress to Mr. Neelix that we need his support and encouraging words to the crew now, more than ever." Jellev nodded. "You are dismissed." He turned and left, leaving Dana to her thoughts.

* * *

"Woohoo!" Harry whooped. Months of tiresome assignments had finally ended with Voyager being sent to the furthest reaches of Federation space, with the instruction to 'explore.' Past UFP territory, towards the Gamma Quadrant (the opposite way from the Delta Quadrant), she had been assigned to spend six years 'boldly going...' Though it would take them almost a month, pushing Voyager to her absolute limits of warp 9.9995, and would require them to take a week-long break at Station Deep Space 13 for repairs and final energy supplies, to reach the limits of Federation space, soon the tediousness would come to an end. 

Everyone was celebrating.

Naomi Wildman had entered the last phase of Ktarian childhood development and applied for the Academy. Where she was accepted. Seventeen years developed, though only seven years old, she had passed the rigorous entrance exams and this was a going away party for her as well.

Sam was crying, holding her daughter and complaining about how quickly children grew up. Naomi, for her part, waved it off with a laugh.

"This is really perfect timing, Mom. If I was still a kid, you would be reassigned, or I would be sent to live with Dad. Neither one would be acceptable for me, since I wouldn't be here. Well, if I can't be here, I'd rather be at the Academy than anywhere else in the universe. In four years, I'll get assigned to my own ship, and two years after that, I'll see all of you again." Naomi turned and included everyone in her conversation.

"We'll miss you so much," Neelix said, unshed tears shining in his eyes.

"And I'll miss you, too!" she cried, hugging Neelix, then Seven, who tentatively hugged her back.

"I shall be incomplete without you in my collective," Seven stated and Naomi burst into tears.

"Stop it, you guys, you're making it hard for me to leave!" She wiped away the tears and hugged Seven again. Harry hugged her next, then Tom. She passed through the room, alternately hugging and shaking hands with the people who had raised her and been her family. When she came to the new captain, the empty spot in her heart that had been Kathryn Janeway almost pushed her to tears again.

"I know that I am not Kathryn Janeway," Dana said. "She was your first captain; someone whom can never be replaced. Not that I would try. But I have had the privilege of watching you grow into a strong, intelligent and beautiful young woman this past year. I am certain you will succeed in all your endeavors, as you have a passion and intelligence to rival your peers. I wish you luck, though I doubt you will need it." Naomi laughed as the tears poured down her cheeks and she clasped Captain Marcus' hand tightly in gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking around at the crewmembers of Voyager. "Thank all of you!" She smiled at everyone, her gaze resting the longest on her mother, Neelix and Seven. "No matter where I am or who I am with, you'll always be my crew, my family... my collective." Seven smiled at Naomi, unable to stop herself. Everyone who knew Seven stood in shock, but Naomi only returned the smile, as though she saw it every day, almost making Seven cry herself.

"This is a party, is it not?' Captain Marcus said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Then let us celebrate. Naomi is moving on, yes, but this is a happy time as well. Let us treat it as such." The words had the desired effect as everyone in the room began talking, laughing and mingling.

All but Seven.

The ex-Borg moved to a corner, fighting tears and all the emotions that were threatening to break her delicate control. Only B'Elanna noticed and she decided that enough was enough and chased after the taciturn blonde.

"Hi, Seven." Seven looked up, nearly choking as she reigned in her pathos before B'Elanna saw it, despising pity more than anything else.

"Hello, Lieutenant."

"Seven, in almost five years, I think it's been, you've never called me B'Elanna."

"I was not aware that we were on a first name basis."

"I call you Seven, not Lieutenant."

"Because I had no rank when you originally began referring to me."

"No, because I consider you a friend."

"Friend?" Seven's eyebrow rose. "You have never said so."

"I'm a little antisocial at times. It's hard for me to express my feelings." B'Elanna confessed. Seven was surprised. She thought that B'Elanna was quite proficient in expressing her feelings and she said so. "Well, I'm bad at hiding _those_ kinds of feelings, but I mean, the friendly kind." B'Elanna started getting flustered.

"Why are you telling me mow, then?" Seven asked. B'Elanna took a deep breath and thought '_here goes_.'

"Because I like you."

"Me? What is there to like about me?" Seven asked, bitter from the stigma she had suffered.

"You're beautiful, intelligent and don't think that I haven't noticed your sense of humor!" B'Elanna answered.

"Beautiful? What does the way I look have to do with likable features?" B'Elanna felt trapped.

"Maybe I... more than... like you," B'Elanna muttered slowly. Seven grew cold immediately.

"Then you are interested in a romantic relationship with me," she said, harshly. B'Elanna looked up, surprised.

"I—" Seven stepped closer to B'Elanna and took the shorter woman by her arm, bringing their bodies close together. Seven kissed B'Elanna roughly, making the smaller woman moan in a mix of pleasure and pain. Abruptly, she let her go.

"I do not share your feelings, Lieutenant. But if you wish, we could copulate. Perhaps that will satiate some of your desires." B'Elanna felt angry and hurt and she had to restrain herself from hitting Seven for her coldness. A coldness she had previously believed affected. Tears warred with fists and she finally managed to spit out:

"Fuck you, _Lieutenant Hansen_. I'm sorry I ever gave a damn about you, I'm sorry that I thought you were human. Don't ever come near me again, outside of work. You can rest damned assured that I won't approach you again." B'Elanna spun and ran from the room, to hide in her quarters and cry the rest of the evening. Seven watched her leave, wishing that she hadn't been so hard on her, but believing firmly that she was right to stop B'Elanna before she became any more attached.

The universe didn't stop and B'Elanna survived her broken heart but...

Except when duty forced them to, the entire time they were on Voyager, B'Elanna Torres and Seven of Nine never spoke to each other again.

* * *

**_To Be Continued…_**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!  
Description: Back in the alpha quadrant and life is very different.

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 2_**

_

* * *

_

"B'Elanna?" Tom had seen her flying out of the lounge like a bat out of hell and automatically followed. He stood outside her door, pressing the chime and calling her name. She didn't answer and he cursed under his breath. "Please, open up, B'Elanna! Don't make me call security!" He heard a muffled curse, and then the doors hissed open. He ran to where she was sitting on the floor, her upper body on the couch, shaking with sobs.

"Please, leave me alone," she choked out. Tom stood still for a moment, then walked over to her and knelt by her side.

"B'Elanna, you know I can't do that. Please, tell me what's wrong?"

"What do you care?" was the response, muffled by the cushion she had buried her face in.

"I care. _Believe_ me, I care about you. We're friends, remember?" B'Elanna looked up at him; her eyes red-rimmed and gasped a few sobs before answering.

"I'm an idiot."

"Says who?" Tom reached out and wiped her face a little, a dull twinge of pain wrenching in his chest as he remembered when he had the privilege of touching her face all the time.

"Seven—Hansen." B'Elanna spat out, followed by a few choice curses.

"Whoa, B'Elanna. What did she say?"

"I just... told her..." B'Elanna stopped speaking to bite back several sobs.

"That you like her?" Tom asked. He wasn't as oblivious as she thought. She looked up, surprised, catching the stress on the word 'like.'

"Yeah. She... dismissed me. You can bet that I don't 'like' her anymore." Tom hugged B'Elanna, who clutched him like a security blanket and finished pouring out her emotions onto his shoulder. Tom made soothing sounds and offered broad platitudes, but knew that he couldn't heal this damage any time soon.

* * *

Half an hour later, Tom scooped B'Elanna up and carried her to her bed. He laid her down and tucked her in, anger burning through him for the suffering Seven had caused her. After dimming the lights in the room, he left her quarters and returned to the party, absent-mindedly rubbing dry his sodden shoulder. 

He didn't have to look hard to find Seven; she was still in the corner she had occupied before he left, alone. He stalked up to her and waited until no one was looking, then hissed in her face.

"If you ever go near her again, you _bitch_, I will personally make sure that your life is a living hell. Do you understand me?" Seven slowly nodded and Tom left her alone. She didn't stay at the party any longer, but retired to her quarters after wishing Naomi luck.

She made it past the doors and to her bad, calmly and composed. As soon as she was standing over her bed, she ordered the computer to lock her door. The mattress met the floor a second later. Seven grabbed one of the pillows that she had upset and used it to cover her face. She screamed.

The pillow didn't survive very long.

Seven knelt in the destruction, panting and digging her fingernails onto her palms. For ten minutes, she sat like that, fighting the tears that she wouldn't let fall. Finally, she felt so drained that she just lay down on the mattress on the floor and fell asleep.

* * *

_Two years later...  
_

_

* * *

_

To: Samantha Wildman  
USS Starship Voyager  
Registry: NCC-74656

From: Naomi Wildman  
Q. 8-2, Starfleet Academy  
San Francisco, California  
Earth, United Federation of Planets

April 17, 2381

It gets discouraging, watching all the other cadets either dropping out or failing. My grades are a steady 99 average, top of my class, but I feel as though sleep is the price I must pay for them. I haven't had a full six hours' rest since my third week here. My roommate, T'Laria, and I get along, thank the gods. She's Vulcan... well, obviously by her name. I actually knew a kid here who dropped out simply because they would not reassign him to another Quad.

Tolerance is one of the lessons we are supposed to learn. I had a hard time at first. Real surprise there, huh? There are only five Ktarians attending the Academy right now, and of them, I'm not just the only girl, but also the only one from Westside, instead of Northshore. So they all look funny to me, with their bulbous foreheads.

I've received a lot of tribulation over the "Expansion" movement back in '68. I mean, it's been thirteen years, we've become allies of the Federation and I don't understand why I should be punished for something that happened before I was even born and by the _Northshore_ Ktarians at that!

Most of my friends are Vulcan or human. I tried to make friends with the two Klingon students, but they're a little too wild for me. I spend some time with them now and then, but for the most part, I just can't keep up! I think I'm amusing to them, but they treat me with more respect than most of the other cadets, so I guess we really are friends. They're both male and I think that Krell is kinda cute, though Dorn's teeth bother me.

I'm only a Sophomore, but I've already been invited to Red Squad, but with the scandal a few years ago, I'm not sure I want to join. T'Laria told me that my logic is sound, so I don't think I will. It'll be the first refusal in the history of the Squad.

I got your letter, Mom, and don't worry. I'm fine. Yes, I eat. No, I don't get that much sleep and you know why: you've been here. Yes, I got Nimembeh. No, he wasn't hard on me. No, I don't have a boyfriend. No, I'm not looking; I'm way too busy. Although Krell... just teasing!

Yes, Uncle Neelix, I am enjoying it here. And you know what? I miss your Leola root soup, of all things! I got the 'item' that you sent me; thanks I really missed him! T'Laria raises her damn eyebrow every time she passes my bed now, but I get a laugh out of it.

Seven, I am establishing relationships quite well; thank you for asking. Though, like I said, a lot of the school is mean, I have a large group of friends, though only a few close ones (but that's okay, I prefer it that way). No, Icheb doesn't talk to me, much. He's a Senior, after all, so he doesn't really have a lot of spare time. But, no, he isn't ignoring me and we have lunch together once a week. My extracurricular activities include xenobiological studies, hoverball and art. I tried out for the Velocity team, but I didn't even make the third team. I thought about trying parrises squares, but a kid in our quad broke his leg playing, just this week, and T'Laria talked me out of it. Bet you're all relieved to hear that. And, Seven, I hope your leg is doing better!

Doctor, yes, I'm keeping healthy. I haven't visited the infirmary once this year for anything but my check-ups. Nothing like last year's fiasco. Thanks for the holo-images of the crew, especially of Seven attempting Tom's surfing program, I got a kick out of that! Sounds like you guys still throw the best parties.

Captain, I am majoring in Science, specifically, Stellar Cartography. I'm on the Command track as well, so you know how vigorous that is! The more I study James Kirk, the more I wonder how they expect us to be like him, yet maintain and adhere to Starfleet protocols, principles and ideals. Especially the Prime Directive, which he appears to have no love of. Oh, and my minor is in exobiology.

I'm sorry I don't have time to write you each a personal letter, maybe next month! I've just got so much to do; I don't even have time for a shower tonight. And we have room checks in the morning! My side's a mess and I don't want T'Laria to get in trouble (I get into enough on my own), so I've got to clean up before I go to bed. I miss you all so much!

Love,  
Cadet Naomi Wildman

_

* * *

_

**_To Be Continued…_**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!  
Description: Back in the alpha quadrant and life is very different.

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 3_**

_

* * *

_

_Two years later... _

"Oh, My god..." Captain Marcus swung her head around at Lieutenant Kim, silently demanding that he explain his outburst. "Captain, you might want to take a look behind us." Frowning, Dana turned back to the viewscreen.

"Display aft view." The screen switched from the J-class planet that they had been studying to a starscape, apparently normal. But Marcus knew that she wouldn't be looking at it if it were normal. She scanned the stars for any distinct difference, but she saw nothing. "What am I looking for, Lieutenant?"

"A spacial distortion," Kim answered. Marcus' eyes narrowed, and then she saw it. The stars wavered slightly, as if something were passing in front of them.

"Yellow alert, raise shields," she commanded automatically. "Is it a cloaked vessel?" she asked, never taking her eyes from the screen, tracking the distortion.

"No, Captain. It's producing extreme gravimetrical disturbances. Similar to a black hole." Dana raised her eyebrow.

"A black hole is a stationary phenomenon. Also, there is no evidence that there was ever a neutron star here, nor that this was once a binary system."

"Yeah, and it's too small, as well." Harry added. "More like a quantum singularity."

"Romulan warbirds employ a forced quantum singularity as an energy source. Have you scanned for tetryon emissions?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, Captain. I'm almost certain that we aren't dealing with a cloaked ship of any kind. It's almost certainly dark matter."

"Fascinating," she murmured. "But that doesn't explain why it's moving."

"It appears to be using negative gravity as a propellant," Harry said, his hands flying over his console as the reading came in.

"Negative gravity? That isn't possible. Dark matter is unaffected by that phenomenon, as it is not a solid or gas, but rather a well. That is why black holes are truly stationary, rather than being subjected to universal expansion."

"Be that as it may," Harry said, shrugging by tilting his head, "That's what's causing it to move—at an extremely rapid rate, I might add. It's moving at about the speed of a comet."

"Is it a comet, Mr. Kim? A dark matter comet perhaps?"

"Negative," Harry reported. "I've seen a dark matter comet before and it didn't behave like this. Every time it comes closer—universally speaking of course, to a planetary or solar body, it is repelled and changes course."

"Marcus to Lieutenant Hansen. Are you getting all this?"

_"Yes, Captain. I must admit to never having witnessed this particular phenomena, either. I agree with Ensign Kim's assessment. It is neither a cloaked vessel nor a dark matter comet."_

"Then what is it?" Dana asked, a thrill of excitement rushing through her body. She refrained from sitting forward and clutching the arms of her chair, as she wanted, and settled on bringing her hands together, fingers steepled.

* * *

In Astrometrics, Seven tried to establish an answer to her captain's query, but found herself at a loss. 

"Unknown," she answered, unsatisfied with her own conclusion.

"_Could it be a life form?_" Seven looked up at the chart in front of her, zoomed in on the moving singularity. Again, she had to give her unsatisfactory answer.

"Unknown. But unlikely," she was happy to add.

"_I want a probe that's able to study that thing, Lieutenant. Get down to Engineering and help design it. I'll inform Lieutenant Torres that you are on your way._"

"Acknowledged," Seven answered and exited Astrometrics, hoping that B'Elanna wasn't in the mood to constantly refer to her as 'Borg' as she often was. 'Lieutenant Hansen' was what she called her on her friendly days.

* * *

"Take us a little closer, Mr. Paris. Maintain a safe distance, however," Marcus ordered. 

"Aye, Ma'am," Tom responded automatically. Dana raised an eyebrow. The old crew always called her 'ma'am' or 'captain', while the new crew still called her sir. She preferred 'captain' the most, as 'ma'am' made her feel old and 'sir' made her feel male. But she had learned to respond to all three titles and actually found it amusing not to state a preference, since it caused a bit of stammering here and there.

"Nice and easy, Lieutenant. Watch out for the event horizon."

* * *

"A probe? How the hell does she expect us to design a probe that can survive a black hole? It hasn't been done yet!" B'Elanna fumed, directing her rant at Vorik, since she still wouldn't talk to Seven. Seven had relayed her orders through the same Vulcan, who was used to their outright animosity now and no longer stated the illogic involved in speaking through him when they were standing next to each other. 

But humans so rarely displayed logic and Klingons far less, so he felt he should not have expected them to understand. He found that if he stood quietly, they wouldn't wait for him to respond, but rather interact with each other, despite their protests that they did not speak to one another.

"Perhaps she believes that she has a superior Engineer to any other in the fleet," Seven said, quietly. B'Elanna blinked and actually looked at her for a moment. Then the ship lurched. Red alert klaxons blared around them and everyone snapped to attention, trying to discern what was going on. B'Elanna leaned over the railing, looking down at her staff, wondering what had happened.

The warp core suddenly began whirring to life and roaring in evidence to the strain it was suddenly put under.

"What the hell is going on?" B'Elanna yelled.

"Lieutenant, it would probably not be wise for you to stand there."

"What?" B'Elanna asked, turning to Seven. At that moment, the ship gave a mighty heave and B'Elanna went flying over the railing. She saw a blur of blue warp core, four decks below her and rushing at her head first. She had just enough time to think '_I'm going to die_' when a pressure on her ankle made her realize that she had stopped falling.

She looked around, the engine room upside down, trying to get her hair out of her face and finally managed to look up. Seven was holding onto her and the railing, her leg hooked carefully through the lower rung so that she wouldn't slide over it any more than she already had. B'Elanna couldn't see any way for her to pull them both back onto the deck and realized that another jolt might kill them both.

"Seven, let go. If this ship starts shaking again, we could both die. You might be able to swing me onto the next deck," she offered, seeing the determined set to Seven's eyes.

"It would undoubtedly break either your neck or your back, from the impact. I will neither let you die nor severely injure you." The engine room began shaking violently again, but Seven held on. B'Elanna could feel the vibrations in her leg.

"You've already severely injured me," B'Elanna hissed, trying to get Seven to let her down before they were both killed. Seven didn't respond for a moment and she ship's shaking didn't decrease.

"It was not my intention to do so. You... do not understand." Seven held tight to B'Elanna, hurt more by the words than she let on. A sound began behind her, a high-pitched mechanical whine.

"That conduit is going to explode, Seven," B'Elanna yelled, wishing someone would help them, but seeing that her staff had their hands completely full keeping the engine from overloading. "Let me go and get away from it. You can't hold on forever!"

Seven listened to the mounting whine, but ignored it, seeing several members of the staff hurrying along to help B'Elanna down safely. Until they reached them, she had to hold on. For almost a minute, Seven held on, her wrists feeling as though they would break under the constant vibrations and weight of the woman whose life she literally held in her hands.

The crewmembers finally arrived and one grabbed B'Elanna by the shoulders, others ready to catch her when she fell. Seven let go just as the plasma conduit blew.

B'Elanna fell into her staff's waiting arms and felt the blast knock them all down. She crawled away from the tangle of limbs and looked down. Seven wasn't lying at the bottom of Engineering. B'Elanna looked up and found her, badly burned and slung across the railing, slowly slipping toward her death.

B'Elanna stood and broke into a full run to the small lift. It carried her up one deck, painfully slow and she jumped off before it had finished its ascent, running to pull Seven off the rail, just before she slipped off. She hit her commbadge.

"Medical emergency in Engineering!"

_

* * *

_

**_To Be Continued…_**


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!  
Description: Back in the alpha quadrant and life is very different.

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 4_**

_

* * *

_

"Get us out of here, Mr. Paris!" Marcus yelled as Voyager threatened to shake apart around her.

"I can't! The singularity is pulling us in!" He yelled, clutching his panel as artificial gravity failed on the bridge and all gravity in the room seemed to shift to Harry's side. "C'mon, baby," he whispered to Voyager. "Help me out."

* * *

The doctor was flooded with casualties. When Seven materialized, he checked her out and marked her as mid-critical. The nurses hurried him over to a critical patient and began attempting to stabilize her. He only spared a few glances at her, worried. He had no time for anything else as he looked down at Lieutenant Wildman, who required immediate surgery.

* * *

The quantum singularity comet floated toward Voyager, attracted to her warp field, non-sentient, not alive and completely unaware that it was ripping the little ship to pieces.

**"_Abandon ship! I repeat, all hands abandon ship!_"**

"Slam it down, then!" B'Elanna screamed over the whines and roars that filled Engineering as the ship was ripped apart. "We're running out of time!"

"How can you be certain that it is attracted to our warp core?" Vorik asked, his hands flying over the console in front of him in the shutdown sequence.

"Anti-matter, dammit! Now shut it down so we can jettison the core before we're all dead!"

"It could breach if we don't follow procedure—" B'Elanna didn't wait for him to say anything else. She shoved him out of the way. Her fingers flew over the control and a second later the core went dark.

Alarms went off in all parts of Engineering.

**"_Abandon ship! I repeat, all hands..."_**

B'Elanna worked the controls as everyone around her left for the escape pods. She had to stay to jettison the core. Vorik looked at her for a moment, and finally joined the others in fleeing the ship. As soon as the core was shut down, Voyager began being pulled toward the dark matter object at a high speed.

B'Elanna only had a few seconds to rid Voyager of the item that was drawing it to its destruction, if she wanted to survive.

B'Elanna wanted to _live_.

* * *

The little pods were shot from points all over Voyager. Almost as one, they turned and propelled themselves away, unaffected by the singularity due to their small size and lack of antimatter.

* * *

B'Elanna materialized in front of her pod, threw open the door and launched. She watched from the tiny window as the warp core zoomed off, towards the distorted space. She keyed in the thruster controls to set herself on the same course as the rest of the pods.

* * *

The USS Voyager, NCC-74656, barely thirteen years out of space dock, was ripped to pieces from the gravitational shears of the unknown anomaly. She crumpled, exploded and tore into little pieces, to be compressed into the gravity well until there wasn't anything left of her.

B'Elanna watched with tears streaming down her face.

Dana Marcus cursed her own curiosity.

Tom Paris blamed himself for miscalculating the distance from the event horizon.

Seven of Nine remained unconscious.

* * *

_One month later... _

**"_It's class N,_"** Dana heard Harry report.

"Is there any habitable land mass?" She crossed her fingers in the cramped space, looking over at Chakotay for a brief moment. The Native American man gave her a tight-lipped smile of encouragement.

**"_Yes, sir. Enough to sustain us until Starfleet can send someone to pick us up._"**

"Thank you, Ensign. Marcus out." Dana patched herself in to the rest of the pods. "We have discovered a planet that can sustain us until we can be rescued. Please direct your pods to the coordinates that I am feeding into your computers now. Marcus out."

"How long do you think it'll take them?" Chakotay asked. Dana shook here head.

"At least three months. We're in for quite a wait."

* * *

_Two months later... _

_

* * *

_

"She saved your life."

"I'm not talking to her, Starfleet." B'Elanna ripped the leaves off the branch violently.

"Come on, Maquis. You can't carry this on forever." B'Elanna glared at Harry.

"Do you know what she said to me?" Harry flinched.

"Do you know what she told me?" he countered. "She said that she thought you were approaching her in friendship, because she loved you as a friend and really wanted you to do so. Then, you say she's beautiful—which I understand!" He cut her off as she tried to protest. "But all she ever gets are propositions and offers for dates. Never just real offers of friendship."

"She loves me?" B'Elanna asked.

"As a _friend_. She responded the way she did because you hurt _her_." B'Elanna stopped to think.

"She hurt me, too," B'Elanna said, softly, biting back tears at the memory. Harry put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. He walked away, leaving her to mull over what he had said. She grabbed the rest of the firewood and ran back to their camp.

* * *

Seven was brushing her now short hair, treating what hadn't been burnt off with care when B'Elanna came rushing in. Seven dropped the brush in surprise.

"What is wrong? Is Starfleet here?' She asked, assuming that B'Elanna would only enter her tent if it was important. B'Elanna stopped, her mind telling her '_this was a mistake._'

"No. I needed to see you. I wanted to tell you... that I only wanted to be your friend. Being attracted to you had nothing to do with it."

Seven stiffened and immediately went on guard. This was the woman that had gone out of her way the past four years to avoid speaking to Seven, to insult and degrade her and make plain that she hated her. She was now saying that all she had ever wanted was friendship. But she offered no proof.

"But it will interfere, no doubt. I have found that close proximity to the object of one's desire causes that desire to increase. Therefore I do not see how you wish to be only friends." Seven said the words in an anger that she didn't show, her face impassive as ever.

"I won't help you make yourself the victim, Seven," B'Elanna hissed angrily. "I came here in friendship, for the second time. You're the one who keeps pushing me away. You remember that when you spend your meals alone, when you sit alone in your corner, feeling sorry for yourself. I used to feel sorry for you, too. Now I see that you _want_ to be alone. Fine." B'Elanna turned and stormed out of the tent to hide in her own.

Seven watched B'Elanna go, shocked beyond speech. '_Am I self-absorbed?_' she wondered. '_Do I truly push others away?_'

"I do not want to be alone, B'Elanna Torres," Seven said, her bottom lip trembling. "I'm scared..." she whispered, barely able to make the confession, "…of what I feel." Seven sat down and curled up in the corner of her tent, as B'Elanna had told her. Part of her wanted to chase B'Elanna and apologize. The other half wanted to hide in her tent and never come out.

The second half won. That night at dinner, B'Elanna stormed out to get herself a plate of food, then took it back to her tent. Seven never came out. _

* * *

_

**_To Be Continued…_**


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 5_**

_

* * *

_

Seven sat in her tent thinking over what B'Elanna had said to her. She had tried reading the letter that Naomi had sent her, just before the ship was destroyed, but she couldn't concentrate. Naomi had graduated in the top ten percent and eighth in her class. She was on her fourth boyfriend and her team had won the Hoverball championships two years running.

Seven didn't know how to reply beyond: Congratulations. It was all the padd in front of her displayed, beyond Naomi's address aboard the USS Lakota NCC-42768. Seven dropped the padd, knowing that she couldn't finish the response. Her mind was too much right where she was.

Seven stood before she realized what she was doing. B'Elanna's accusations rung in her ears and she was going to refute them. At least, this was the explanation that she gave herself. She was standing in B'Elanna's tent a few moments later, looking down at the sleeping form of the other woman. Seven decided to leave and was surprised to find herself kneeling by the sleeping roll of the half-Klingon.

B'Elanna rolled over and opened her eyes, halfway. She raised her blanket, beckoning Seven to join her in sleep. Seven crawled beneath the blanket, telling herself that she would discuss what she had come here to discuss.

She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow she had brought with her.

* * *

B'Elanna opened her eyes groggily and was startled at the sight of Seven stretched out next to her. The blonde's eyes were puffy, as though she had been crying and her hair was sleep-tousled. There was the sound of nocturnal animals stirring from outside her tent and B'Elanna knew it was not yet time to wake up. Seven wrinkled her forehead in her sleep and looked troubled.

B'Elanna reached out and brushed her fingers against the soft forehead of the ex-Borg woman and was rewarded when Seven snuggled closer to her. B'Elanna threw an arm across her bed partner and closed her eyes again, allowing sleep to reclaim her.

* * *

Seven woke up and the first thing she noticed was the pleasant pressure around her middle. The next thing that she noticed was that B'Elanna was crying. She rolled over, breaking the death-grip the Klingon had on her waist and gently shook B'Elanna. The half-Klingon didn't respond, but her whimpers were growing in volume as tears streaked down her cheeks. Seven brushed away some of those tears and B'Elanna jerked awake, sitting up abruptly.

"Seven?" she asked, looking confused.

"You were experiencing a nightmare. I was merely attempting to end it." B'Elanna's eyes dropped and she rolled over, curling up slightly and hugging herself. After a moment, the repressed sobs began causing her shoulders to tremble and Seven wondered if she had resumed the upsetting dream.

She tried to roll B'Elanna over, but was met with resistance and surmised that the other woman was awake and crying on her own. Unused to any tears but her own, Seven wasn't sure what to do; especially considering that she usually repressed those tears. She decided to assume the position that B'Elanna had used when sleeping with her and spooned her body against B'Elanna's back, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman.

B'Elanna rolled over, looking confused again. Seven looked into the brown eyes, so close to her own blue and unbidden, her eyes traveled down the dark face until they reached the trembling lips. Seven had an almost overwhelming desire, suddenly, to take those lips with her own, but she was used to fighting her desires and wants. This was, although new, just another inappropriate emotion to express, and therefore dismissible.

Instead, she raised her head and gently pressed her eager lips against B'Elanna's strong forehead. She looked back down at B'Elanna's eyes and saw that they were closed. Either with contentment or her own need; Seven couldn't be certain. But she knew that the emotion wasn't negative, as B'Elanna's tears had stopped and her lips curved ever so slightly upwards.

"Shall we get breakfast?" Seven asked softly. B'Elanna smiled and nodded, then stretched her muscles as she sat up. Seven laid her head on her arms for a moment and watched B'Elanna twist and stretch out the kinks in her body while sitting next to her. Then as B'Elanna stood, Seven joined her and they went searching for breakfast.

* * *

"I'm not really a hunter, Neelix." B'Elanna said to the now pouting Talaxian. She felt a stab of guilt as Neelix shuffled closer, favoring his left leg, which would probably be crippled for the rest of his life, since Starfleet was taking their damn time in rescuing them from the watery world they had landed on. When Voyager had been trapped in the event horizon of the anomaly, the Ten Forward Lounge had been one of the first sections breached. Neelix had been helping Ensign Kyote round up the stragglers when a bulkhead had exploded, nearly killing them both and ripping Neelix's leg almost off his body.

The Doctor had repaired it the best he could with the technology left to the crew, but Neelix now had a limp and, B'Elanna knew, pain with every step. She felt horribly responsible, for not keeping the ship together better, for not realizing what might happen just a little sooner and had trouble meeting the friendly golden eyes anymore.

"Oh, come on, B'Elanna," Neelix coaxed. "Everyone's been taking a turn. I can't do it all by myself you know." Neelix meant the words to be encouraging, not guilt-inducing, but B'Elanna immediately felt almost overwhelmed by culpability, despite her innocence. However, the words had the desired effect, as B'Elanna immediately agreed to go with him.

"Just this once, Neelix. After all, you don't want to bring out the Klingon in me too often," she said with a wink. Neelix beamed.

"Good! I was hoping that we could perhaps look into that bovine herd that's been moving east past the woods. Perhaps one of the older females."

"That's a big target, Neelix. Are you sure that the two of us can handle it?" B'Elanna asked, looking over at the cow they used for milk, tethered to a nearby tree. "I mean, why not just kill Voy, there?" she asked, motioning to the peaceful animal. Neelix looked horrified.

"Voy! Then where would we get our milk? Besides, it just seems wrong to kill an animal that you've nursed to health and cared for, for over two months."

"I was just teasing, Neelix. But may I suggest that you never become a farmer?" B'Elanna grinned at him. He gave her a stern look and she laughed. After a moment, he did, too.

"Lieutenant Torres has a point, Mr. Neelix." Seven said, making B'Elanna jump. She never seemed to hear the blonde approaching. "Acquiring and killing a bovine of that size, no matter how infirm, and carrying it back to camp is not a job for only two humanoids, especially when one has an injured appendage." Neelix sighed.

"I guess you're right, Seven. So should it be fowl or pig tonight?" He asked B'Elanna, looking downcast.

"You did not allow me to finish, Mr. Neelix." Neelix looked up, hopeful. "Two would not be sufficient, however three..." Neelix grinned at her. "Therefore, I shall accompany you. I agree that beef would be a relief from the monotony of white meat. Perhaps while we are on the other side of the woods, we might pick some fruit as well. Roots and leafy vegetables are not sufficient nutrients for the vegetarian crewmembers."

"They also have nuts and berries," B'Elanna said, grinning. Seven raised her eyebrow.

"Yes, but the berries are a small fruit and I was thinking that perhaps some of the larger fruit might be edible." Neelix looked like he was about to start hopping up and down in delight that he had an entire foraging party, at least one being voluntary.

* * *

They had gathered three dozen of a large, bluish fruit that passed toxicity scans and tasted much like a melon crossed with citrus and brought it back to the encampment before setting back towards the herd. They had also acquired some vegetables that had the consistency of avocados, but tasted more like tomatoes and a few heads of a pink variety of lettuce. Now they were laying low in some bushes, attempting to pick out the best choice for their supper from the tan-furred heifers.

"That one's too bony. There's no way we could lift _her_. She's too small; looks sick too. She's too young; just calved, see?" B'Elanna pointed to each of the animals in turn, and explained why they should be dismissed.

"That one appears to be the best specimen," Seven said, pointing to a pale, fat and exceedingly furry cow. B'Elanna and Neelix both nodded. Quietly, Neelix aimed his phaser at it. He fired. The herd stampeded. They waited until all the animals cleared but the cow and then gathered around the body. Neelix had killed it cleanly without destroying the body, although the top of the head was missing.

"Good shot, Mr. Neelix," Seven commented. Neelix beamed and they crouched over the dead animal, arranging themselves to carry the heavy body and attaching portable antigravity generators to lighten their load. That's when they heard the sound—like a small earthquake and a roaring. The group looked up to see a bull charging at them, his twisted side horns pointed threateningly at them and the snout horn promising them painful things.

They broke up and ran. The steer stopped to decide which of the humanoids would be the best to chase. It only deliberated a moment before choosing B'Elanna. Seven noticed as the animal stampeded towards the half-Klingon and she was half-surprised when she found herself changing course to intercept.

B'Elanna ran as fast as her legs could carry her, knowing that it couldn't be fast enough and picturing the three horns causing her bodily harm. Then she saw Seven racing towards her and she was taken off her feet a moment, the breeze the bull made as he passed strong enough for her to know that she had been narrowly missed. When she turned around, Seven literally had taken the bull by the horns.

B'Elanna ran to help her, grabbing on to the animal, her body pressed against Seven's while they tipped him over on his side. Neelix came bounding in and as the women let go of the animal, he fired his phaser, now reset to stun. Quickly checking for a pulse with her tricorder, B'Elanna then indicated that they should quickly take their meal and run.

* * *

It was a wonderful feast that was held that night and more than one crewman openly stared at Seven and B'Elanna as they sat very close together, eating in silence. _

* * *

_

**_To Be Continued…_**


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Yes, Paramount still owns the Star Trek Universe, but they don't own any characters that I've made up (even if they own their parents) nor the vessel I made up. Dana Marcus is my creative product from some of the events in the novel "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntire, but is still owned by me, H. S. Hines. Saavik history derived from "The Pandora Principle" by Carolyn Clowes._

_Notes: References to TNG and TOS_

Genre: Angst, Drama  
Rating: M  
Codes: B/7  
Feedback: Reviews beget more fiction!

_

* * *

_

**Issues  
_Chapter 6_**

_

* * *

_

Days passed, each one like the day before. Seven would crawl into B'Elanna's tent, rather than stay in her own. During the day, they would work with Harry and several members from the Engineering crew on trying to establish contact with the Federation. Nothing came and morale plummeted, as the Voyager crew felt the sting of abandonment by Starfleet.

They built a small village, hoping each day that they would dismantle and pack up, but hope was slowly dying as everyone settled into their new routines.

Dana couldn't stand what was happening to her crew and worst of all, was helpless to offer more than useless platitudes to her people. Marcus looked at Chakotay, sitting by himself at the evening fire and wished that she had the ability to read minds. He had more of the crew's ear than she and he was looking darkly into the fire, brooding. She didn't see it as a good sign.

Her eyes moved to follow Neelix, who was smiling whenever he met the eyes of one of the crew. But it was the look in his eyes when the crew looked away that concerned her. Neelix's eyes were sad, tired and as unhappy as any other member of the crew.

Even the small relationships had a bittersweet air about them. She watched as Seven disappeared into B'Elanna's tent and saw the perfect example of one of these relationships blooming. A pain shot through her when they had passed the flaps of B'Elanna's entrance without once smiling.

Would they ever have a reason to smile again?

* * *

_Month Six, Planet 'Poseidon' _

B'Elanna held the Doctor's mobile emitter in her hand, watching the flickering indicator lights fade. Seven was crying softly next to her. The burnt casing was all that remained of their healer, their friend. An electrical storm had struck without a moment's warning, lightning crashing down on the EMH. B'Elanna had blinked and he was gone. It had taken them hours to find the device after the storm. Three other crewmembers had been killed by the unexpected tempest as well.

Fourteen had been injured, including the captain. B'Elanna set the mobile emitter on the table in the makeshift infirmary and walked over to Harry Kim, who had been unconscious since he was struck by a falling branch from a tree he was standing under when the storm hit.

When B'Elanna looked up, Seven was gone.

Half an hour of searching uncovered Seven, hiding deep in the forest. B'Elanna didn't say anything when she found her, she just took her by the hand and led her back to camp, one arm around the taller woman's waist for support.

_bleep. bleep. hiss, buzz, bleep. bleep. bleep. _

It was an unexpected sound and it woke up the crewman on duty. A duty that had been neglected by sleeping. The crewman was supposed to be monitoring the communications system, a set of instruments that had been silent for almost seven months.

_bleep. bleep. bleep. _

"Hello?" the crewman tentatively responded.

_"(hiss, pop)...**ship **(hiss)...**a to the **(pop) **of the star**(hiss)** Voyager. Please **(hiss).** I repeat, this **(hiss) **captain of the Federation starship **(hiss, crackle) **Voy**(crack, hiss)...**spond**." _

"This is Crewman Alex Brown, of the Starship Voyager crew. Please restate your designation and intentions."

_"Voyager? Are we glad to hear from you..." _

_

* * *

_

Marcus watched Crewman Brown come flying out of the Communications shed and lifted her head, hope rising in her heart, the inner emotions boiling from the look of joy on Rodriguez's face never betrayed by her neutral expression.

Moments later, the elation spread through the entire crew. The starship Lakota had found them. Within a day, the entire crew was back in space, injuries being dealt with properly, the mobile emitter belonging to Commander Doctor being repaired. Seven and Samantha Wildman were the first to greet Naomi, who had requested to be a part of the landing party (her first off-ship assignment). They were not professional in the slightest in the greeting and Naomi broke away, miffed at being embarrassed by her mother and friend. The rest of the crew who knew Naomi (except Neelix, who was just as demonstrative as the first two) were extra formal with her, also causing her dissatisfaction. She finally had to admit that she couldn't be satisfied and settled for being the one to stay on the planet and organize. For an ensign, it was a big job and she was proud her captain trusted her with it.

She noticed Seven and B'Elanna holding hands a few times, even a brief kiss from one to the other when they thought no one was looking and wondered briefly how much must have been left out of Seven's letters to her. She had never even mentioned B'Elanna in them, much less that they were in a relationship! Naomi filed it away to tease Seven with later. For now, she had more important duties.

One of the first things she learned about was the quantum singularity comet. It was such a fascinating discovery that she knew Voyager's explorations wouldn't be finished by the loss of one little ship. A new one would be built, just like the Enterprise. She had hoped to be assigned there, but wasn't going to refuse when the Lakota asked for her. After all, they were primarily a diplomatic ship, so she got to use her exobiology degree rather often. She liked the crew and ship so much she hadn't even asked for reassignment to the Enterprise-E when her chief science officer died, though it would have given her more room for promotion. The chief science officer on the Lakota was a thirty year-old Vulcan, so she knew she didn't have much chance of getting _his_ spot in her lifetime.

Captain Marcus was very satisfied by her interview with the Admiral. Voyager was definitely going to be rebuilt and she was going to be assigned as the captain, with her old crew still in her command. Many of the officers might find new assignments, although she doubted it. The Voyager-B was going to resume where Voyager had left off, promising all new adventures for the thrill-seeking crew. She had put in a request with Naomi's captain to transfer the ensign to Voyager, since they had lost their best exobiologist on the planet they had dubbed 'Poseidon.' She looked forward to reforming the Voyager family on a ship not haunted by their old captain's ghost. Certainly, no one objected to her not being Janeway anymore, but it would be nice if the ship was hers and hers alone.

And soon, the story of Voyager-B would begin to unfold. Yes, Captain Marcus looked forward to that day, indeed. _

* * *

_

**The End.**


End file.
